This invention relates generally to the field of order fulfillment, distribution and inventory control, more particularly to a machine, and process for making and applying related documents or control items such as packing slips to goods. The objective is to reduce the time and cost related to current execution of this process.
Distribution warehouses, organizations or carriers who fulfill orders for goods or items generally rely on significant and manually intensive processes, or at best partially automated processes, to create and affix a packing slip to a shipment of goods or items. First, the document or set of documents must be created describing the content, warranty, control marks, operation, drawings, destination address or any other pertinent information or inventory control object or transponder related to the shipment or item. These related documents are generally folded from letter size to an industry standard size of one sixth the original size (4.25xe2x80x3 by 3.75xe2x80x3) and display the intended destination but maintain content privacy through the use of paper folds. The documents are then manually inserted into a translucent adhesive pouch to accommodate shipments of any size, including small packages or envelopes. The adhesive protection is then removed and the pouch is affixed to the shipment and carried to its destination through common forwarding methods. Using a combination of paper-handling devices in a specific sequence, controlled and driven by invented software and other electronics with various sensors, this manually intensive process can be partially or completely automated with the use of this invention.
During the month of May, 2000 the named inventors conceptualized and developed this invention in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The invention is comprised of various software, paper-handling and application devices. Portions of this invention have been developed over the past ten years at PSI Peripheral Solutions Inc. for various custom solutions as provided to clients in Canada and the United States.
Through the unique use of single or double rolls of tape, the invention creates a functional container for single or multiple, folded documents and/or inventory control transponders. Through the use of specific materials, selected adhesive portions, transparency and markings, the pouch created by the tape may then be used to suit various needs and automation requirements for fulfillment and/or inventory control.
Earlier technology and patents for devices such as printers, folders, inserters and tape handlers, separate various stages of application or document handling. No other single invention to control the complete fulfillment process exists other than this invention.
Since no other machine exists, the invention now offers the ability to partially or completely automate the process of creating and attaching required shipment documents. This invention nearly eliminates the high-cost of manual intervention by using this new process. Since no other technology exists, this invention can now accommodate various printer types, document sizes, number of documents forming a related set and folded to industry standard sizes. This invention manufactures various styles and types of pouches for various needs or uses. This machine and process also selectively separate and/or apply fulfillment documents, thereby nearly eliminating the cost of labour.
The primary objective of the invention is to provide a machine that makes and applies related documents to shipments or items, thus reducing fulfillment costs.
Another objective of the invention is to provide a machine that accepts documents of various orientations and sizes from common printers to lower fulfillment automation costs. The invention is also a machine which assembles one or more related documents or control items into a set to reduce fulfillment costs. A further objective of this invention is to provide a machine which folds sets of related documents to a smaller size thus increasing uses and reducing fulfillment costs.
The invention also provides a machine which transports a set of related documents and orientations to various automation stages to increase uses and lower fulfillment costs.
Another of the invention""s objective is to provide a machine which encloses a set of related documents in an opaque or translucent, adhesive or self-adhesive pouch, envelope or attachment method and separate the contained documents for immediate or later use to lower fulfillment costs. The invention also provides a machine which may deliver or affix a set of related documents or control items to a box, package, envelope or device to increase uses and lower fulfillment costs. Another objective of the invention is to provide a machine and process which reliably combine all or parts of stages, and moves related documents from printer, accumulator, folding, enclosing, separation and application stations to another station to lower fulfillment costs.
Other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. By way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is further disclosed.
A machine and process comprising of: an adjustable high-speed document receiving station which accepts various sized outputs from common printers. The next device is an adjustable accumulator station using various optical marks and/or software to control the number of documents accumulated forming a set and the movement to further stations. The adjustable document folder station provides various industry standard folds to sets of documents followed by an optional further fold to create a smaller size. An adjustable transport device presents sets of documents to other stations in several orientations, directions and different rotations. Another adjustable device manages single or multiple rolls of adhesive or non-adhesive materials and creates a container, pouch or document attachment. The adjustable cutting or slicing device separates programmed length pouches created from rolls of tape or other material. A further adjustable device dispenses documents, control matter or pouches containing documents into a box, envelope or container. An additional adjustable device applies self-adhesive output directly to a box, envelope, container or item. An adjustable programmed system controls various print, accumulator, folding, enclosing, separation, delivery and application stations for related document preparation and attachment.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include embodiments to the invention which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.